Jeremiah 15; Acts 2; Acts 3; Jeremiah 16

1Then the LORD said to me: "Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go!2And if they ask you, 'Where shall we go?' tell them, 'This is what the LORD says: " 'Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.'3"I will send four kinds of destroyers against them," declares the LORD, "the sword to kill and the dogs to drag away and the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.4I will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.5"Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will stop to ask how you are?6You have rejected me," declares the LORD. "You keep on backsliding. So I will lay hands on you and destroy you; I can no longer show compassion.7I will winnow them with a winnowing fork at the city gates of the land. I will bring bereavement and destruction on my people, for they have not changed their ways.8I will make their widows more numerous than the sand of the sea. At midday I will bring a destroyer against the mothers of their young men; suddenly I will bring down on them anguish and terror.9The mother of seven will grow faint and breathe her last. Her sun will set while it is still day; she will be disgraced and humiliated. I will put the survivors to the sword before their enemies," declares the LORD.10Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth, a man with whom the whole land strives and contends! I have neither lent nor borrowed, yet everyone curses me.11The LORD said, "Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will make your enemies plead with you in times of disaster and times of distress.12"Can a man break iron-- iron from the north--or bronze?13Your wealth and your treasures I will give as plunder, without charge, because of all your sins throughout your country.14I will enslave you to your enemies in a land you do not know, for my anger will kindle a fire that will burn against you."15You understand, O LORD; remember me and care for me. Avenge me on my persecutors. You are long-suffering--do not take me away; think of how I suffer reproach for your sake.16When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty.17I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation.18Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? Will you be to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails?19Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them.20I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you," declares the LORD.21"I will save you from the hands of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the cruel."

1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.7Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome11(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!"12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"13Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine. "14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning!16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:17" 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.18Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.19I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.20The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'22"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.23This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.24But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.25David said about him: " 'I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope,27because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.28You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.'29"Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.31Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, " 'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand35until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." '36"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"38Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.44All the believers were together and had everything in common.45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

1One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer--at three in the afternoon.2Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.3When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.4Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!"5So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.6Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."7Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong.8He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.9When all the people saw him walking and praising God,10they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.11While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade.12When Peter saw this, he said to them: "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?13The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.14You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.15You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.16By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.17"Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.18But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer.19Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,20and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus.21He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.22For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.23Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.'24"Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days.25And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.'26When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."

1Then the word of the LORD came to me:2"You must not marry and have sons or daughters in this place."3For this is what the LORD says about the sons and daughters born in this land and about the women who are their mothers and the men who are their fathers:4"They will die of deadly diseases. They will not be mourned or buried but will be like refuse lying on the ground. They will perish by sword and famine, and their dead bodies will become food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth."5For this is what the LORD says: "Do not enter a house where there is a funeral meal; do not go to mourn or show sympathy, because I have withdrawn my blessing, my love and my pity from this people," declares the LORD.6"Both high and low will die in this land. They will not be buried or mourned, and no one will cut himself or shave his head for them.7No one will offer food to comfort those who mourn for the dead--not even for a father or a mother--nor will anyone give them a drink to console them.8"And do not enter a house where there is feasting and sit down to eat and drink.9For this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Before your eyes and in your days I will bring an end to the sounds of joy and gladness and to the voices of bride and bridegroom in this place.10"When you tell these people all this and they ask you, 'Why has the LORD decreed such a great disaster against us? What wrong have we done? What sin have we committed against the LORD our God?'11then say to them, 'It is because your fathers forsook me,' declares the LORD, 'and followed other gods and served and worshiped them. They forsook me and did not keep my law.12But you have behaved more wickedly than your fathers. See how each of you is following the stubbornness of his evil heart instead of obeying me.13So I will throw you out of this land into a land neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you will serve other gods day and night, for I will show you no favor.'14"However, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "when men will no longer say, 'As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,'15but they will say, 'As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.' For I will restore them to the land I gave their forefathers.16"But now I will send for many fishermen," declares the LORD, "and they will catch them. After that I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down on every mountain and hill and from the crevices of the rocks.17My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes.18I will repay them double for their wickedness and their sin, because they have defiled my land with the lifeless forms of their vile images and have filled my inheritance with their detestable idols."19O LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in time of distress, to you the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, "Our fathers possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good.20Do men make their own gods? Yes, but they are not gods!"21"Therefore I will teach them-- this time I will teach them my power and might. Then they will know that my name is the LORD.